Antrim Hurling

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Minor final is in Ballymena at 12 this sunday

[NAG1]

Think the days of the Minor and Senior double header are gone for now anyway.

Any venues yet, genuinely don't see how Ballycastle could host again in that condition.

Loughgiel and Corrigan both out this year I'd say.

[Deerstalker]

Think the days of the Minor and Senior double header are gone for now anyway.

Any venues yet, genuinely don't see how Ballycastle could host again in that condition.

Loughgiel and Corrigan both out this year I'd say.

Why would Corrigan be out ?

[NAG1]

Think the days of the Minor and Senior double header are gone for now anyway.

Any venues yet, genuinely don't see how Ballycastle could host again in that condition.

Loughgiel and Corrigan both out this year I'd say.

Why would Corrigan be out ?

Not sure they would be very keen for either Loughgiel or St John's to be hosting a county final after the incident earlier in the championship.

[SaffronSports]

Think the days of the Minor and Senior double header are gone for now anyway.

Any venues yet, genuinely don't see how Ballycastle could host again in that condition.

Loughgiel and Corrigan both out this year I'd say.

Why would Corrigan be out ?

Not sure they would be very keen for either Loughgiel or St John's to be hosting a county final after the incident earlier in the championship.

St John's are hosting one on Sunday...

[marty34]

Is Dunsilly an option?

[NAG1]

Is Dunsilly an option?

Dont think so for that crowd.

I'm hearing Ballycastle, it will need a small miracle to be in any shape in two weeks.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

Ballycastle is the preferred location ive heard so much so that they are getting the pitch worked on this week. it will get rolled, spiked etc to try and get it into shape.

Ballycastle will bring in potentially 5000 plus to the game so the sense they see is in the gate receipts for the game. More people is more money. Corrigan isnt allowed to hold that crowd, unless they get a valid safety certificate i was told - can anyone confirm if this is the case as im not sure of the regulations of holding finals in the city now in terms of large crowds?

For anyone who was at Loughgiel v Cushendall a few years ago there they will remember how badly over crowded it ended up on the grass bank side of the ground. It was dangerously over crowded to the point they had to stop people walking around the pitch as it ended up into a bottle neck in the middle with folk nowhere to go.

Any form of incident on that side of the pitch, theres nowhere for a large crowd to get out of quickly.

But thats what im hearing this week in terms of the venue.

[AllStar15]

Scathing assessment of Davy Fitz's tenure from Eoghan Campbell today. It appears Davy probably thought Antrim was beneath him

[MoChara]

I always had a feeling Davy was talked into it more than he ever actually wanted it, his heart was never really in the job, it is a pity that we've regressed since Darrens tenure.

Watching the championship though there's definitely hope, a solid crop of young talent coming through hopefully Micky can get it all gelled together and firing as a unit

[Torcrua]

Ballycastle is certainly the venue best equipped to host the final. I've always found it a great place to watch games.

Corrigan undoubtedly has the best playing surface, but if there are concerns around safety and capacity, then unfortunately it's a non-runner. We're also into October now, so expecting a dry sod at any venue is probably a bit unrealistic!

Any word yet on a venue for the Intermediate final?

Really enjoyed reading Eoghan's article this morning. It's encouraging to see that the door has been opened for a potential return, and hopefully he won't be the only one making a comeback.

With the appointment of Gregory and the developments at U20 level, there certainly seems to be a more positive direction emerging for Antrim hurling. Hopefully that momentum continues.

[SaffronSports]

Senior - Ballycastle
Intermediate - Cushendall

[maxpower]

I think it's a dreadful decision to play the final in Ballycastle

We have minimum standards for supporters at grounds but to hell with the players, they can play anywhere

This is the showpiece event in Antrim GAA and for Dunloy it will be the worst surface they have played on all year

It will suit neither team, the quality of the game will suffer but hey ho we can squeeze more supporters in at £15 a head

If the county want Ballycastle to host these games then invest in the pitch, bring it up to standard - otherwise give the players the conditions they deserve

[LC]

I think it's a dreadful decision to play the final in Ballycastle

[b]We have minimum standards for supporters at grounds but to hell with the players,[/b] they can play anywhere

This is the showpiece event in Antrim GAA and for Dunloy it will be the worst surface they have played on all year

It will suit neither team, the quality of the game will suffer but hey ho we can squeeze more supporters in at £15 a head

If the county want Ballycastle to host these games then invest in the pitch, bring it up to standard - otherwise give the players the conditions they deserve

Would it be fair to say this would be common across a lot of Antrim, saw clips of the Antrim camogie final last week, people standing on grass slopes.  Quite a few clubs in Derry and Tyrone have covered stands and even those that don't have fairly good concrete terracing.

[Deerstalker]

I think it's a dreadful decision to play the final in Ballycastle

We have minimum standards for supporters at grounds but to hell with the players, they can play anywhere

This is the showpiece event in Antrim GAA and for Dunloy it will be the worst surface they have played on all year

It will suit neither team, the quality of the game will suffer but hey ho we can squeeze more supporters in at £15 a head

If the county want Ballycastle to host these games then invest in the pitch, bring it up to standard - otherwise give the players the conditions they deserve

100%, it's a joke. Didn't they pay for St John's to be relaid earlier this year, well the vast majority of it. If you were asked to rank pitches to play a game on Ballycastle would be well down there.